Why is .38spl so expensive

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alfsauve said:
I realize, as far as handgun ammo goes, the 9mm is probably the most popular. Followed in no particular order by .40S&W and .45ACP. Maybe .380ACP. But no less than 5th you'd think would be .38Spl. At least I'd think.

I need, yes NEED, S&B 38P. Which runs at the lowest, ~$28.50/100ct. But S&P 9mm runs only $14/100ct. Yes it's only 115gr while the 38P is 158gr, however, I just saw Brownells has S&P 45ACP 230gr for $25/100ct. You'd think 38P would be at most that price or even down around $20/100ct

Why is .38Spl so much more expensive? My reloads are only around $15/100ct. Is demand for it that low? Is there some insidious conspiracy against .38Spl?
Click to expand...

So, what is “38P” ammo? I went to look up Sellier & Bellot “38P” ammo and found nothing definitive. I did find Sellier & Bellot “SB38P” ammo. If that is it then $28.59/100 is a good price as it sells for ~$0.32 per round pretty much everywhere.

Also, $28.50 for 100 is not that bad of a price for 38 Special factory loads these days. It ain’t great but not that bad. Of course, I am on the Left Coast so maybe my perception is skewed.
 
Tilos said:
Wow, OK
You reload but don't trust your own work.
What kind of failures do you experience with your reloads ?
just curious,
:D
Click to expand...

I was wondering the same thing. I usually shoot ~2000 rounds a month. All reloads. My failure rate is very low. I can't remember the last time I had a round fail at the range.
 
Tilos said:
Wow, OK
You reload but don't trust your own work.
What kind of failures do you experience with your reloads ?
just curious,
:D
Click to expand...

I go through about 500 reloads a month in practice and local matches. Haven't had a failure in a while, but on an occasion have had a squib. It's more about just being one less thing to worry about on match day. PLUS I can always blame the ammo when I screw up


Pat Riot said:
So, what is “38P” ammo? I went to look up Sellier & Bellot “38P” ammo and found nothing definitive. I did find Sellier & Bellot “SB38P” ammo.
Click to expand...

Yep. SB38P is Sellier Bellot 38P as opposed to their 38A, 38B, 38C or L. Just shorter not to put the obvious SB in front of each model.

https://www.sellierbellot.us/products/pistol-and-revolver-ammunition/pistol-and-revolver-cartridges/
 
alfsauve said:
I go through about 500 reloads a month in practice and local matches. Haven't had a failure in a while, but on an occasion have had a squib. It's more about just being one less thing to worry about on match day. PLUS I can always blame the ammo when I screw up




Yep. SB38P is Sellier Bellot 38P as opposed to their 38A, 38B, 38C or L. Just shorter not to put the obvious SB in front of each model.

https://www.sellierbellot.us/products/pistol-and-revolver-ammunition/pistol-and-revolver-cartridges/
Click to expand...

Are you using a progressive reloader? If so a RCBS Lockout die is your friend. Either that or switch to a ball powder.
 
Texas10mm said:
Are you using a progressive reloader? If so a RCBS Lockout die is your friend. Either that or switch to a ball powder.
Click to expand...

Lock and Load AP. Maybe I'll look into the Lockout die, thanks. It doesn't happen but on rare occasion. Not a fault of the powder measure, but I get distracted on something else on another station screws up and I skip a step. Have switched to Power Pistol which is easier to see in the long case.
 
alfsauve said:
Lock and Load AP. Maybe I'll look into the Lockout die, thanks. It doesn't happen but on rare occasion. Not a fault of the powder measure, but I get distracted on something else on another station screws up and I skip a step. Have switched to Power Pistol which is easier to see in the long case.
Click to expand...

ANYTIME there's an interruption in the cycle while using a progressive press you should remove the rounds from the shell plate and inspect them.
 
I got my LNL progressive, had a squib:oops:, my fault.
Purchased the Hornady powdercop, which is ok but you still have to watch it. Got the RCBS lockout die shortly afterwards, much nicer than the powder cop for pistol ammo as you don't have to watch it.
The Hornady LNL Deluxe control panel comes with a Hornday lockout die, but I don't know if it is available separately.
A big thanks again to Tightgroup Tiger for the really sweet PIF:):) of a Deluxe Control Panel for my LNL.
 
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Long and short, I'm haunting AmmoSeek everyday. I think, on rare occasion, a dealer will run a $260/1000ct special on SB38P. Now if Miss Kitty will only let me buy 2,000 rds, that should hold me through 2020's IRC.
 
I know this has drifted in to reloading, and it's been a good drift.

My problem with the powder cop is I ONLY have 5 stations and I like use a separate crimp die. I might give that up in .38spl in order to have the lockout die. Don't know what I'm going to do in 9mm though cause I've got to have me factory crimp die there. Maybe a second pass of all the ammo just through that die.
 
alfsauve said:
Lock and Load AP. Maybe I'll look into the Lockout die, thanks. It doesn't happen but on rare occasion. Not a fault of the powder measure, but I get distracted on something else on another station screws up and I skip a step. Have switched to Power Pistol which is easier to see in the long case.
Click to expand...
That distraction on another station is most always/often the priming station, so I follow what's in my sig line to avoid "skipping a step".

"Size/Prime a few cases when starting off with a progressive and put them aside. You can plug them back into the process when a bad/odd case screws up the priming station and continue loading."
At the end of my progressive session, I plug the left over pre-primed cases back into the process.

That, and I de-prime before tumbling and can feel any crimped primer and chamfer it then.
These are the primers that stick on the pin, get partially pulled back into the primer pocket, then tie-up the shell plate so it cannot turn and screws up the whole progressive process.

Might work for you,
:D
 
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alfsauve said:
Long and short, I'm haunting AmmoSeek everyday. I think, on rare occasion, a dealer will run a $260/1000ct special on SB38P. Now if Miss Kitty will only let me buy 2,000 rds, that should hold me through 2020's IRC.
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Ok so maybe sell some of that once fired brass to recoup some of your expense.
just a thought,
:D
edit: sorry I don't need any :uhoh:
 
Tilos said:
Ok so maybe sell some of that once fired brass to recoup some of your expense.
just a thought,.....
Click to expand...

Well, except I reload. Plus, I treat matches, even local ones, as lost brass events. Call me lazy but I don't want to waste the time on picking up my brass at a match. I'm more concerned with how I shot and in keeping the squad moving. I'm also getting up there in years (>70) and bending over and picking up things off the ground isn't a desirable activity any more. ;) Besides, I've got a ~1,000 rounds in reloading "rotation" plus a 5 gallon bucket of brass in backup. But I am selling off other brass that I've accumulated along the way.
 
My problem with the powder cop is I ONLY have 5 stations
Click to expand...
Yep and I thought 5 was plenty until.....
a bullet feeder and the lockout die came in the equation. (as well as the Lee FCD)
I like to wet tumble so I just make one pass to resize/deprime and expand
then wet tumble, hand prime while watching the tube.
The I can go
1 Powder drop
2 lockout die
3 bullet feeder
4 seat
5 FCD

I really need two more stations if I wanted to do it all in one pass.
I do like wet tumbling so even though it's twice as many handle pulls I don't mind.
(and I like clean primer pockets so deprime them first, this probably does not make the ammo shoot any better but it makes me :) having nice clean brass)
Hand priming lets me check out the brass before it makes it to the loading sequence.
I get rid of the 9mms with the stupid ledge:cuss:, the wet tumbling with citric acid makes the brass coated steel ones turn orange-pink so toss any of those I missed as well.
 
alfsauve said:
I know this has drifted in to reloading, and it's been a good drift.

My problem with the powder cop is I ONLY have 5 stations and I like use a separate crimp die. I might give that up in .38spl in order to have the lockout die. Don't know what I'm going to do in 9mm though cause I've got to have me factory crimp die there. Maybe a second pass of all the ammo just through that die.
Click to expand...
I have been reloading 38 158LSWCs for almost 40 years and have never felt the need for a separate crimp die - once set into the crimp groove, they come out perfect every time.
 
alfsauve said:
I know this has drifted in to reloading, and it's been a good drift.

My problem with the powder cop is I ONLY have 5 stations and I like use a separate crimp die. I might give that up in .38spl in order to have the lockout die. Don't know what I'm going to do in 9mm though cause I've got to have me factory crimp die there. Maybe a second pass of all the ammo just through that die.
Click to expand...

1) Size/deprime
2) flare/charge
3) Lockout die
4) Seat
5) Crimp/FCD

Don't bother with the Hornady separate flare die, get the powder through expander die and do it in one step.
 
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